Recently it has been proposed to add Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) services to Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) communications systems, such as a cdma2000 communication system. Unlike the full duplex interconnect services provided by today's cellular systems, Push-to-Talk (PTT) services are half-duplex services that traditionally have been provided by two-way radio systems. Traditional PTT services typically allow for instant access by a mobile station that is hosting a call to a target mobile station. For example, a dispatch group call service enables a user to communicate with a group of people simultaneously and instantaneously, typically by depressing a PTT key.
When a user of a PoC-enabled cellular phone is invited to participate in a PoC communication session, the user may want to participate in the session even though the user is unavailable for direct communications. For example, the user's cellular phone may be powered down or the user may have roamed to a network that does not support PoC services. In such an instance, the user may indirectly participate in the PoC communication session by subscribing to a voicemail-type service and registering for the service when the user is unavailable for direct communications. When the user is then invited to participate in a PoC communication session, the PoC communication session will be directed to a recording device, such as a voice mailbox, associated with the user.
However, in some countries, voice communications may be recorded during a phone call only with the consent of the speaker. Current PoC protocols do not provide a mechanism for obtaining such consent from a speaker, nor do they provide a mechanism for retrieving and managing such recorded voice by a PoC-enabled cellular phone.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus that provides for obtaining consent from a speaker to record the speaker's voice during a PoC communication session and for retrieving and managing such recorded voice by a PoC-enabled cellular phone.